Northern France: What's on in March

ANGELA BIRD'S
Northern France
What to do and see within 90 minutes of Calais

WHAT'S ON IN NORTHERN FRANCE

March 2012

(entries in red indicate new additions)

Départements are identified with their official number:
59=Nord; 62=Pas-de-Calais; 80=Somme

	PLEASE NOTE This website is really just a supplement to Angela Bird's guidebook, Northern France: What to do and see within 90 minutes of Calais (left), which gives full details in its 176 pages of hundreds of interesting and off-beat tourist sites throughout the region. What you see on the website consists of either extra topics not covered in the book (Calendar, Restaurants, Travel routes, Internet links etc), or updated information (new tourist attractions open - or old ones closed) since the book appeared. For the complete picture, order Northern France through bookshops in the UK and Ireland, or from Amazon ; it is also on sale in good bookshops throughout Northern France.	The listings on this site are supplied in good faith, gathered by the author from various sources. However it is always wise to check details with organisers or tourist offices before making a special journey. The “département”, or county, is indicated by the following official figures: 59=Nord 62=Pas de Calais 80=Somme

Jacqueline, Colas and family in Arras town hall	As the season of “giants” is getting into its stride now, here is a link to the Fédération des Géants du Nord de la France - one of the sites that tells you the dates of the different parades. There is an interactive “Agenda des Géants” with dates for outings. Here is the site for La Ronde des Géants, which tells you about the history of giants in Belgium, France and other countries; click on “Agenda” to see a list of outings (tip: look for the French flag if you want an outing in France; not all of them are in the North, by the way).	Henri le Douanier in Godewaersvelde’s Musée Frontalière.

Until 11 Mar 2012	Le Petit Dickens illustré Exhibition on the work of Charles Dickens, with particular emphasis on the illustrations that accompanied his text. These evoke Miss Haversham, Fagin, Mr Pickwick, Mr Micawber and other much-loved characters. Admission free. 10-12 & 2-6pm.	Château d’Hardelot, Condette, Hardelot, 62
Until 9 April 2012	Les années 68 The gallery displays items from the 1960s and 70s from its collections, the time of the 45rpm pop records, magazines, comics and psychedelia, with special emphasis on May 1968, the time of the student riots in Paris. Tues-Sun 10am-12.15pm & 2-5.30pm.	LAAC centre for modern art, Jardin de sculptures, Dunkerque, 59 (tél. : 03 28 29 56 00)
Until 15 Apr 2012	Rester Debout ! Exhibition about the resistance mounted by prisoners in the Nazi death camps of World War II. Different nationalities had their own ways of adapting to circumstances and of retaining their essential humanity. Mon, & Wed-Fri 2-4.30pm’ 1^st & 3^rd Sun of month 2.30-6pm. Admission 5 euros, children under 12 free.	Musée de la Resistance, Bondues, near Lille (tel: 02 20 25 94
Until 20 May 2012	Picasso à l'oeuvre. Dans l'objectif de David Douglas Duncan Exhibition devoted to two creators of genius: Pablo Picasso and American David Douglas Duncan. Taken between 1956 and 1973, Duncan’s images show Picasso in the privacy of his life as an artist. Tues-Thurs 11-6, Fri 11-8, Sat, Sun 1-6. Closed 25 Dec & 1 Jan, 7 euros, chldren 4.50 euros.	Musée la Piscine, 23, rue de l’Espérance, Roubaix 59 (tél : 03 20 69 23 60), nr Lille
17, 18 March 2012 (3^rd weekend of March)	Hydromel en fête A weekend of discovery around the making of the honey-derived drink mead (hydromel). Admission free.	Musée de l’Abeille, Bouin-Plumoison, near Hesdin, 62
17-25 Mar 2012	22ème Festival International Du Film Animalier A competition for the best film about animal life. Screenings over several days. (All films are in French.)	Place Emile Leturcq, Albert, 80 (Tél. 03 22 74 37 04)
17 Mar- 10 June 2012	Une lignée de patrons pêcheurs étaplois de 1883 à nos jours Exhibition of photographs and stories relating to the best-known fishing-boatowners of the 19^th century and their descendants, gathered by retired local fishing-boat-owner Gervais Perrault,.	Musee de la Marine, Etaples, 62
18 March 2012	Carnaval de Bergues The carnival parade starts in the main square of this attractive fortified town, at 3pm. The townsfolk, in fancy dress, turn out by their thousands.	Bergues, near Dunkerque, 59
24 Mar- 24 June 2012	Eugeen van Mieghem et le port d'Anvers A prolific artist, Eugeen van Mieghem (1875-1930) was part of the late-19^th/early-20^th-century art scene in Paris. A fouvourist subject was the port of Antwerp, where he showed the everyday lives of the dock and its workers.	Musée Départemental de Flandre, Grand’Place, Cassel 59
24 Mar-3 July 2012	Le Jardin des Boves The annual three-month summer period when the tunnels beneath the tourist office of Arras take on a new air, being filled with growing plants and strange music. Visitors expecting the usual history-filled tour may be disappointed... Guided visit 4.70€, children 2.70€.	Office de Tourisme, Hôtel de Ville, Place des Héros, Arras 62
Late Mar	Braderie d’Emmaüs Spring discounts at the popular junk emporium near St Omer. 2.30-5pm.	Rue du Noir Cornet, St Martin au Laërt, nr St Omer 62.

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